When offense struggled, Bears RB D'Andre Swift added 'a little life into the situation'
Running back D’Andre Swift, not quarterback Caleb Williams, was able to shake the Bears out of their offensive funk Sunday afternoon. With about a minute to play, Swift took a handoff around the left end, behind blocks from tight end Cole Kmet and rookie tackle Kiran Amegadjie, and ran up the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown.
“Really good blocking on the perimeter,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Monday. “I know it puts a little life into the whole situation.”
Commanders coach Dan Quinn thought it was one of the biggest plays of the game, which ended in an 18-15 win for his team after the now-infamous Hail Mary.
“A big, long play — that explosive play that goes for a score — those are the things that you have to fight your way through and come back for it,” Quinn said.
Swift’s run was the eighth-longest in the NFL entering Monday’s games. His 129 rushing yards were his most since he had 130 last Sept. 25.
His turnaround has been impressive. In Weeks 1-3, he averaged 1.8 yards per carry, the worst average for any player who averaged 10 or more carries. In Weeks 4-8, he averaged 5.4 yards per carry, which ranked sixth among such players.
Awaiting word on the wounded
Eberflus said it was “going to take some time to assess” injuries to three offensive linemen and star defensive end Montez Sweat. He expected an update Wednesday.
Guards Teven Jenkins (knee) and Bill Murray (pectoral) left the game, as did left tackle Braxton Jones (knee) after 18 snaps. Amegadjie replaced Jones in his first extended NFL action.
Sweat nursed a shin injury for most of the game, playing half the Bears’ snaps, but wasn’t well enough to be on the field for the Hail Mary.
“Obviously, we would love to have him in there — he’s one of the guys that can get [quarterback Jayden Daniels] and chase him down,” Eberflus said.
This and that
Daniels’ 92.7 passer rating was the highest the Bears allowed all season.
—- The Bears downed five of Tory Taylor’s punts inside the 20-yard line, their third-most in a game since 1991.